1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system for vertically forming concrete panels for use in erecting concrete fences, walls and related structure.
2. Related Art
Vertically oriented concrete panels have been used for a number of years in applications including concrete fences, sound walls, partitions, etc. Concrete panels are often poured and cured in a central manufacturing area and shipped as cured panels to job sites, where the panels can be assembled into a fence or similar structure. It is often desirable to apply a textured, decorative finish to such concrete panels to enhance the appearance of the panels. Decorative finishes such as pseudo-brick finishes, pseudo-rock wall finishes, etc., give the concrete panels a more aesthetically pleasing appearance, and in some cases, such as in sound wall applications, can increase the effectiveness of the concrete panels.
Due to the difficulties inherent in vertically forming panels from uncured concrete, conventional processes often utilize a horizontal mold system to form panels which will be used in a vertical orientation. In one such method, a horizontal mold is formed that is relatively long and wide in relation to its vertical thickness; for instance 12 feet in length by 6 feet in width by 4 inches in vertical thickness. Such a horizontal mold would produce a vertical panel approximately 12 feet in length, 6 feet in height and 4 inches in horizontal thickness. While this process can provide a vertical panel having the desired vertical dimensions, it generally consumes a considerable amount of human labor and space. For instance, simultaneously pouring a sufficient number of concrete panels to erect 120 linear feet of fence would require at least 720 square feet of floor space to erect the molds, and additional floor space for movement of workers, equipment, etc.
In addition to the excessive labor hours and space such a process requires, applying a decorative finish on both sides of the horizontally-poured panel has proved difficult. For example, it is relatively easy to apply a decorative imprint on a bottom surface of a horizontal mold by placing an inverted, patterned mold form on the bottom of the mold which then forms the decorative imprint on lower side of the concrete panel. As the wet concrete is poured into the mold, the weight of the wet concrete ensures that the concrete fills indentations in the patterned mold to accurately form the pattern in the finished panel. However, such a process will only result in one side of the panel having a decorative imprint. While it may be possible to “press” an upper patterned form onto a horizontal mold in an attempt to apply a decorative finish on the opposing side of the panel, such a process can lead to voids or other irregularities appearing in the opposing side, as the weight of the concrete does not act to ensure that the concrete fills indentations corresponding to the decorative pattern desired.
For at least these reasons, attempts have been made to vertically pour concrete panels. This can be done by erecting forms which roughly correspond to the orientation the concrete panel will assume in use. However, conventional attempts to vertically pour panels have suffered from a number of problems. For example, vertically oriented forms are often held together by metal ties that are disposed through each wall form and the mold cavity that restrain the wall forms from separating in response to the weight of the uncured concrete poured into the cavity. This is problematic in that the resulting panel is structurally and aesthetically compromised by either the presence of the tie within the cured panel or a void left in the cured panel by removal of the tie.
In addition, vertically forming concrete panels has proved problematic in that the wet concrete poured into the forms has the tendency to flow under the forms and out of the mold cavity defined by the forms. This is especially problematic near the bottom of the forms, as it is at this location that the pressure from the weight of the uncured concrete is the greatest. Thus conventional methods of forming vertical concrete panels have produced panels that are structurally or aesthetically wanting, and often result in wasted materials and excessive labor due to leakage of uncured concrete from the mold.